Door checking and holding device



y 1953 s. J. GALLA 2,645,810

DOOR CHECKING AND HOLDING DEVICE" Filed July 29, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 S. J. GALLA INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS July 21, 1953 s. J. GALLA 2,645,810

DOOR CHECKING AND HOLDING DEVICE Filed July 29, 1950 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a J. GA L L A IN VEN TOR.

F@ am A T TORNEVS Patented July 21, 1953 Stephen J. Galla,'Detroit, Mich., assignor to Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application July 29, 1950, Serial No. 176,620 I This invention relates generally to door checking and holding devices for motor vehicle doors, and has particular reference to a device of this type adapted to be associated with the hinge structure for the door.

An object of the present invention is to provide a door checking and holding device contained wholly within the fixed door supporting door structure of the vehicle body and thus concealed from view. The device comprises a toggle linkage pivotally connected between a bracket carried by the fixed body structure and the hinge leaf upon which the door is pivotally supported.- In the closed position of the door the toggle linkage assumes a jack-knife position, and in the fully opened position of the door the two links of the toggle are substantially fully extended. Spring means are associated with the toggle linkage in such manner as to assist in the final opening movementof the door and to yieldingly hold the door in its fully open position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention willbe made moreapparent as this description proceeds, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanied drawings,

in which:

Figure 1 is a horizontal cross-sectional view through a portion of 'a vehicle door and the ad jacent door pillar, and showing the door checking and holding mechanism of the present invention...

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the door in a partially open position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 but showing the door in its fully open position.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lines 4-4 of Figure 3. y p

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figure l, the invention is shown as applied to the right hand front door I l of a motor vehicle. The reference character l2 designates a door pillar forming a fixed portion of the vehicle body structure. The door H is pivotally mounted upon the door pillar [2 by means of a conventional concealed hinge comprising hinge leaves 13 and I4. The hinge leaf [3 is stationary and is mounted upon the forward wall I6 of the door pillar by means of bolts 11. The other hinge member 14 is generally L-shaped and is pivotally connected to the fixed hinge member [3 by means of a hinge pin I8. The hinge leaf [4 extends outwardly from the door pillar through an opening l9. formed in the rearward Wall 2| of the latter, and terminates in a rearwardly extending flange 22 secured to the 2Clajms. (Cl.16-135) 2 e reinforcing panel 23 of the door by means of a tapped plate 24. The structure thus far de-' scribed is conventional.

The door checking and holding device com prises a toggle formed of toggle links 25 and. '26 pivotally connected to each other and to the swinging hinge member I4 and a fixed bracket:

21 carried by the door pillar." The bracket 21 is generally L-shaped and has a horizontal flange 28 and a vertical mounting flange 29, the latter' being secured to the forward wall l6 of the door' pillar by means of bolts 3|. 7

,As best seen'in Figure 4, two toggle links26 are used, and are pivotally connected to the: bracket 21 by means of a shoulder stud 32 extending throughthe horizontal flange 26 of the bracket. The outer ends of the toggle links 26 are pivotally connected to. the toggle link 25 by means of an elongated shoulder stud 33. The outer ends of the stud 33 are formed with. grooves 34 to receive the ends of a pair of coili springs. The two toggle links 26 are held in assembled relation-with the bracket 21 and the: toggle link '25 by means of a stud 36 extending: through aligned holes located centrally of the links. A spring retaining washer 31 is seated in a groove formed in the stud 36 to clamp the two links 26 to the flange 26 of the bracket and to the toggle 25 in such manner as to provide a rattle proof assembly yet permitting pivotal movement between the parts. The outer end of the single togglelink 25 is apertured to receive the outer end of a stud 38 pressed into a hole 39 formed in the swinging hinge member l4 intermediate the ends of thelatter. A pair of retaining rings 4| seated in grooves formed in the stud 38 retain the toggle link 25 thereon. It will be seen from Figure 1 the toggle links 24 and 25 assume a collapsed or jack-knife relationship when the door II is in its closed position. Initial opening movement of the door swings the toggle links 26 inwardly as viewed in Figure 1 until the toggle link 25 is in alignment with the straight portion of the hinge [4 between the hinge pin l8 and the stud 38, as shown in Figure 2. Continued opening movement of the door ll results in straightening the toggle until the fully open position is reached, as shown in Figure 3.

The opening of the toggle mira e and of the door is limited by-means of e stop lug 42 bent upwardly from-the horizontal flange 28 of the bracket 21. The stop lug 42 is engaged by the upper toggle link 26 when the mechanism is in the position shown in Figure 3, and arrests further opening movement of the toggle linkage and the door. The door H is held in its fully open position by means of a pair of coil springs 43 located on opposite sides of the toggle linkage. At their rearward ends the coil springs 43 are connected to opposite ends of the stud 33 extending through and forming the pivotal connection between the toggle links 25 and 26. The bracket 21 supports an elongated stud 44 with the stud being held thereon by means of retaining rings 46 located on opposite sides of the horizontal flange 28 of the bracket. The opposite ends of the stud 44 are provided with annular grooves 41 which receive the forward ends of the springs 43. r

As seen in Figure 1, in the closed position of the toggle the longitudinal axes of the springs are off center with respect to the pivotal connection 32 between the toggle links 26 and the bracket 21. With this arrangement the springs exert a closing force on the door during the final closing movement of the latter, the amount of the closing force being dependent upon the strength of the springs and the amount of ofiset.

Figure 2 illustrates an intermediate or partially open position of the door and the toggle linkage. In this position the axes of the coil springs 43 pass through the pivotal connection 32 between the toggle links 25 and the bracket 27, and as a result the springs are inefiective to exert either a closing or opening force upon the door. As the door i opened further and moved iromlthe position shown in Figure 2, to the position shown inrFigure 3, the axes of the coil springs are again offset from the pivotal axes 32 of the toggle'linkage and the springs are effective to exert anppening force upon the door tendinguto; swing the latter to its open position. The arrangementis such that in the fully open position of the door as shown in Figure 3 the door is firmly but yieldably held open with the upper toggle link-"2B seated against the stop lug 42 on the bracket. The holding action of the springs can be readily overcome, however, by manual movement oi thedoor towards its closed position.

It will be understood that the invention isnot to be limited to'the exact construction shown and described,'but that various changes and modification may be made without departing 'from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a motor vehicle having a door and a door supporting structure adjacent thereto, said door supporting structure having an enlarged opening in the wall facing the jamb face of said door, a stationary hinge member mounted upon said door supporting structure within the latter,

a swinging hinge member pivotally connected to said stationary hinge member and extending outwardly through the opening in the wall of said door supporting structure, means securing the extending portion of said swinging hinge memher to said door, a bracket supported upon said door supporting structure wholly within the latter, a toggle link pivotally connected at one end to said bracket, a second toggle link having one end connected to the other end of said first toggle link and its opposite end pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of said swinging hinge member, said toggle links being wholly Within, said door supporting structure, and a tension spring'having one end connected to said bracket and its opposite end connected to the pivotal connection between said first and second toggle links, the connection between said spring and said bracket being so located that said spring exerts a force upon said toggle links tending to hold said toggle links and said door open.

2. In a motor vehicle body having a door structure and a door supporting structure adjacent thereto, a pair of hinge leaves secured respectively to said door structure and to said door supporting structure, a hinge pin pivotally connecting said hinge leaves, a bracket mounted upon one of said structures, a toggle link pivotally connected at one end to said bracket, a second toggle link having one end pivotally connected to the other end of said first toggle link and its opposite end pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of the hinge leaf secured to the other of said structures, and a coil spring having one end connected to said bracket and its opposite end connected to the pivotal connection between said toggle links, the axis of said coil spring being disposed on one side of the pivotal connection between said bracket and said first toggle link when said door structure is open and passing substantially through the pivotal connections between said first toggle link and said bracket andsaid second togglelink when said door structure is in a partiallyopen position such that the pivotal connection between the second toggle link and the hinge leaf is in alignment with the hinge pin and with the pivotal connection between the toggle links.

STEPHEN J. GALLA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2 ,122,528 Ludwig July 5, 1938 2,198,346 Little Apr. 23, 1940 2,308,759 Joachim Jan. 19, 1943 2,320,752 Roethel June 1, 1943 

